Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
We really do.
27
Ryan
It’s great now that we can be ourselves around Alpha Theta Mu’s house and campus, and I don’t take any of it for granted. Every time I see Marty, I make sure to grab him and give him a kiss…and maybe more if he can sneak off with me for a minute.
It’s a hectic couple of weeks before finals, followed shortly by graduation.
My parents come together, and of course I want them to be here for me for this big day, but also, it’s another of many reminders that, regardless of what I had in mind for the future of my family, it can’t ever be what it was.
On the plus side, I also get to see all my buddies again—from school, the frat, old teammates. And after, we have a huge party at Alpha Theta Mu, a final night of partying and debauchery for the senior crew. I still feel hungover by move-out a few days later. It’s easy enough to deal with my stuff—deflate my air mattress and pack the bag I kept there throughout the semester—but Marty needs more assistance, so I help him get his stuff back to his parents’ place.
I place the box I’m carrying next to the ones marked CLOSET—because of course Marty would be super organized with this shit.
“Whew,” Marty says as he sets a box by his bed. “Done.”
“You need help getting situated?” Philip asks. I met his parents at the graduation ceremony, and they seem as cool as his brother—and far more chill than Mart, that’s for sure.
“Nah. We got it. I was just gonna put some things where they belong and make sure I have what I need to take to Dax’s.”
“You’re still gonna visit, right?” Tegan says in an overdramatic way like my mom might—like she’s making a joke, but really, I can tell she wants to see her son.
“I’ll be back plenty,” he assures her before offering a warm hug.
This is a side most of the guys don’t get to see of him—one I didn’t get to see until we started spending more time together. Despite how worked up he can get and, at times, be annoying, he has a big heart, and the guy adores his family and his fellow Alpha Theta Mus.
“It’s great of you to help Marty out,” Philip tells me.
“Hey, he was looking out for me all semester, so kind of owed it to him.”
“More like keeping an eye on you,” Philip jokes, evidently aware of our initial drama.
We haven’t come out to our parents yet. Marty wants to talk to his today, and I plan to wait until my mom’s back from her impromptu trip to Europe—to de-stress, I’m sure, after the year she’s been having with my dad.
“Well, you should stick around for dinner,” Tegan says.
“Of course he’s staying,” Marty says, sneaking a glance my way.
If he’s trying to keep his secret, he needs to be more careful because the way he’s looking at me is like a mating call I’m struggling to resist.
Philip writes down our takeout orders, and then they head out to grab food from the restaurant. Once they’re gone, I go to the door and peek out to make sure the coast is clear.
“I think I deserve a smooch for that,” I tell him.
“For helping me move?”
“For keeping my greedy hands off this body for the past few hours.” I move close, sliding my arms around him. “I’m gonna think of a number…”
“Number?”
“Of how many smooches I deserve.”
He rolls his eyes, which is why I said it like that, and the way he glares at me gets my dick twitching. Makes me wonder if part of why I enjoyed giving him hell initially was because it kinda turns me on.
“Will you settle for a kiss?” he asks.
I nod before reeling him in for a big one. We’re both sweaty as fuck, but it’s not like this would be the first time that ever happened. Or the last, with what we’ll be doing on the builds for the next few weeks.
When I pull away, I study his expression. I know him well enough now to tell when he’s stressed about something, and since finals are out of the way, he can’t pin it on that anymore. But I have a pretty good idea what this is about.
“You sure you’re ready to tell them?” I ask.
“Just stressed about initiating the conversation, but I’m fine with them knowing what we’re up to.”
“Only fine?”
“Shut it,” he says, leaning close and taking another kiss.
“Mmm…” I whisper into his mouth. “How far is the restaurant they’re going to?”
“About fifteen minutes.”
“Oh yeah?”
I squat down, lifting him and carrying him to the bed. His arms and legs wrap around me in a way I’m used to since we’ve fucked around so much. I crawl across the mattress on my knees, laying his head against his pillow.